Cero
by I Give Headaches To Aspirin
Summary: 'I promise Ichigo. Next time you're not going to get hurt because of me. Next time, I'm going to be the one protecting you.' Oneshot - R&R please!


**This is meant to be friendship, not romance. But if you want to see it as IchiRuki, then I'm not exactly going to hunt you down and kill you in your sleep for that am I?**

**Or will I? :D**

**Anyways, Enjoy.**

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><p>He could hear voices as he slowly came back to consciousness. He groaned slightly and frowned as his head throbbed.<p>

The voices paused and then he heard a rather familiar one. "Ichigo?"

The normally strong and confident voice shook a little, confusing him. What had happened to make her sound like that?

Rukia watched as the honey brown eyes slid open to stare at her is puzzlement. "Rukia?"

Her heart almost leapt with joy at the sound of his voice, but she frowned as she heard how hoarse his usual baritone was.

She went back to her normal behaviour and slapped him on the forehead harshly, feeling guilty as he winced in pain, but needing to get her anger at him out some way.

"You fool! Why did you jump in front of that cero like that?"

An arrancar had wandered into Karakura town, looking for stray souls to feast on, but had been intercepted by the Squad 13 member and The Substitute Shinigami. He had attacked furiously, more arrancar and hollow venturing in due to the massive amount of spiritual pressure that was thrown around because of the fight.

They had fought desperately, trying to hold them off so the approaching spiritual pressure of their friends could get close enough to help.

One arrancar had held it's hand up, a powerful and dangerous looking cero forming in it's hand, before he let it loose and it soared towards Rukia. The petite shinigami had frozen in fear, the destructive red ball of energy flying towards her.

She choked out in despair as a familiar orange-head appeared in front of her. He was knocked backwards into her and they tumbled across the park, grass and dirt smearing to their robes as they finally slid to a stop in front of a clump of trees that lines one side.

She quickly sat up, moving Ichigo to her lap as she stared down at him, tears filling her eyes. The teenager was shuddering in pain, his eyes clenched shut tightly as blood dripped down his face and stained his robes as it pumped out of gashes across his body.

He suddenly went limp in her grasp, barely breathing. The arrancar and hollows that were approaching meant nothing to Rukia. All that mattered to her was the orange haired youngster in her lap that was too protective over other people for his own good.

Help suddenly arrived, an ice dragon crashing through the trees behind them, followed by a red maned bone serpent. Chad jumped over their forms as his right arm changed form and charged blue energy, Uryuu sprinting past them too, his bow already drawn and shooting arrows. The two Shinigami and humans' faces were contorted in rage when they saw the bloody form of the teen they had come to love so much as a valuable friend.

"ICHIGO!"

She shook out of the memory, remembering the echo of her scream around the area, and the pitying looks she had received after the hollows had been killed and unknown squad members arrived for the clean up session.

She ignored these looks, as did the humans, Renji and Hitsugaya. They were too worried about Ichigo to give a hell about what the squad members thought. Renji hoisted Ichigo's limp form over his shoulders, getting kicked in the shin by a hysterical Rukia for being a bit too rough, the unconscious substitute groaning as he was lifted.

They ran as quickly as they could to the Urahara Shoten, kicking open the door without so much as a warning, startling the occupants of the store as Rukia screamed at them to help Ichigo right now.

They jumped to work, even Urahara silent at the sight of the blood trailed down Renji's robes from Ichigo's wounds. The former Captain was completely serious as he began barking orders at people as he flung open the door to the room they often used for guests.

No one dared object, not that they would have anyway, all that mattered was Ichigo.

The shop had been a tornado of chaos as everyone ran back and forth the sides of the building, collecting antiseptic, bandages, pillows, blankets, a mild sedative, water, and the list went on.

Rukia didn't take her eyes off of the teenager's face the whole time; she just sat at the side of the room, her knees pulled up to her chest, her head resting on her folded arms.

If only she had been watching that arrancar, if only they had gotten back-up before they had gone to fight them all.

If only she hadn't been so damned scared.

She felt tears welling up in her eyes, one escaping and slipping down her cheek, a sparkling trail on her skin.

A weak hand came up and wiped the tear from her cheek and she looked back down at the owner of the hand, pulling herself out of the memories.

"Ichigo, I'm so sorry." The orange eyes pulled into a deeper scowl that usual, this time of confusion.

"W-Wha?"

"It's my fault that you're lying here hurt right now. I should have dodged that cero. I'm so, so sor-" She was cut off by a hand over her mouth, the chocolate eyes glittering in annoyance.

"Don't say that. Ceros hurt like hell, you had reason to freeze like that. I know I did the first few times. It wasn't your fault, so stop blaming yourself."

He shifted the hand around to the back of her head and pulled her down, being unable to sit up. She rested her head on his chest, shuddering with silent sobs as he stroked her back and hair, comforting her even as he lay there in pain.

She sniffed as her tears stopped and sat back up, wiping her eyes fiercely.

"J-Just don't do it again." She mumbled, crossing her arms over her chest and averting her eyes.

He snorted lightly in amusement. "I'll try not to."

She leaned down and kissed him lightly on the forehead, seeing his shocked look and smirking as she stood up and walked out to tell everyone that he was finally awake.

'I promise Ichigo. Next time you're not going to get hurt because of me. Next time, I'm going to be the one protecting you.'


End file.
